Maharashtra ATS woefully short of men

Mumbai: Maharastra`s Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), the elite crack force which lost its chief Hemant Karkare to terrorist bullets in the 26/11 attacks, is woefully short of staff to the extent of 70 percent of its sanctioned level.

The crack force, created to counter terror of different hues, at present has only 300 personnel, notwithstanding the strictures from the Bombay High Court this year of neglect by the government.
The cumulative strength of constables and head-constables of the ATS stands at 240 against the sanctioned strength of 730, according to figures accessed by media.

The position relating to middle-level officers also seems no better.

There is only one Superintendent of Police against four sanctioned, three Assistant Commissioners of Police against nine and a mere 20 Inspectors against 50.
The number of Sub-Inspectors, the cutting edge of the force in as much as they are the first to investigate a case, is only 30 against a sanctioned strength of 155.

Along with Karkare, encounter specialist of the force, Inspector Vijay Salaskar, was gunned down in front of the Cama hospital on the night of November 26 by LeT trained terrorists from Pakistan.